Brass-knuckles beating brings six months for trio

A former East Mississippi Community College football player was sentenced to six months in Oktibbeha County Jail Monday for a brass-knuckle assault outside McDonald''s in March 2009.

Sixteenth District Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Jamar Hornsby to six months in Oktibbeha County Jail after Hornsby pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault. Hornsby, who ran into legal trouble for credit card fraud while playing for the University of Florida and transferred to EMCC, where he subsequently signed to play with the University of Mississippi, initially faced an aggravated assault charge for the March 1, 2009, incident, but pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser, misdemeanor simple assault charge as part of a plea agreement. Kitchens sentenced Hornsby to six months in Oktibbeha County Jail and ordered him to pay $2,362.52 in restitution to the victim, plus a $200 fine. Hornsby must report to Oktibbeha County Jail by noon Friday.

In Oktibbeha County Circuit Court Monday, Hornsby fought back tears as he apologized to the victim and his family.

"I just want to say, man, I deeply apologize," Hornsby said. "I didn''t mean for it to go that far at any point. I apologize to you and your family. I apologize to everybody."

"I''ve lost everything," Hornsby continued. "After this, I''ll never be able to play football again. I just want to say to you and your mom, I''m sorry."

Hornsby''s two co-defendants in the assault, Darrell Simmons, of College Park, Ga., and Robert Jordan, of Miami, Fla., also each must pay $2,362.52 in restitution after Kitchens split the cost of the victim''s medical bills equally among the trio. Simmons and Jordan also were sentenced to six months in Oktibbeha County Jail, and were ordered to pay $200 fines. A fourth person in Hornsby''s vehicle at the time of the attack was not indicted.

The incident occurred about 2 a.m. on March 1, 2009, outside McDonald''s on Highway 12 East.

The victim accidentally rear-ended Hornsby and his three passengers in the McDonald''s drive-through line, Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Clemons said. After the two vehicles pulled over to inspect the damage, Hornsby punched the victim through his open window while the victim was still in the driver''s seat, Clemons said. Simmons and Jordan then climbed into the victim''s vehicle and continued to beat him about the face and head, then dragged him out of the vehicle and continued the beating, Clemons said.

At one point, brass knuckles were used, Clemons said, though she didn''t specify who used the knuckles.

After the attack, the victim was treated at Oktibbeha County Hospital for a broken nose and other injuries. The aggravated assault charge was a result of the seriousness of the victim''s injuries, not the use of brass knuckles, Clemons said.

Kitchens warned each of the three defendants they were "lucky" the victim wasn''t carrying a firearm.

"You''re lucky (the victim) didn''t have a gun in his car, or if he did, you''re lucky he didn''t use it, because if he did it would have been justified," Kitchens said to Simmons after his guilty plea.

All the three defendants must report to Oktibbeha County Jail by noon Friday to begin their sentences. Each had to take care of school and family obligations, their attorneys said.

Other sentencings

In other recent court business, a woman who pleaded guilty to four drug charges Friday was sentenced to 48 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Judge Lee Howard sentenced Christian Andol to 12 years for each of two counts of sale of lisdexamfetamine, used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and 12 years for each of two counts of sale of alprazolam, used to treat anxiety disorder. Andol also must pay a combined $12,000 in fines and faces five years of post-release supervision.

Howard Friday also sentenced Antonio Hamilton to five years in the MDOC, but suspended the sentence in lieu of five years probation, for one count of statutory rape. Hamilton also must pay a $1,000 fine.

Also Friday, Howard sentenced Hobart Witherspoon to eight years in the MDOC, but suspended the sentence in lieu of five years probation, for one count of possession of marijuana between 250 and 500 grams. Witherspoon also must pay a $500 fine.